You once lived the life of a trader on the endless seas, ferrying goods between islands for coin and survival. But one deal went wrong, terribly wrong. In exchange for a shipment you desperately needed, you signed on with a devil, spirit, or entity you didn’t understand. Now a restless specter haunts you. Sometimes it whispers, sometimes it seizes your body in a cold grip, but it always pushes you toward blood, vengeance, and choices you might not have made otherwise.
You fight for coin, but it’s rarely just about the gold anymore. You’re caught in a cycle of violence and shadow, pulled deeper into mercenary work by the ghost’s hunger for revenge. You don’t know if it will ever be satisfied, or if you’ll survive long enough to find out.
- Ability Scores: Charisma, Strength, Constitution
- Feat: Alert
- Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation and Survival
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set and Water Vehicles
- Languages: Abyssal
- Equipment: Any martial weapon, a token of the ghost haunting you, forgery kit, traveler's clothes, a pouch containing 10 gp
The spirit bound to you does not rest quietly. Its presence bleeds into the world at unpredictable times, twisting your thoughts and actions. These manifestations are not always under your control.
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In Combat. At the start of each of your turns, roll a d6. On a 1, roll on the Intrusions table.
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Out of Combat. Once every in-game hour, the DM rolls a secret d20. On a 1, the ghost manifests through you, triggering an Intrusion from the table.
The Intrusions table reflects the ghost’s influence, ranging from subtle whispers to violent urges.
| d8 | Spectral Intrusions |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cold Grip. Your skin goes pale and icy. For the next minute, any creature that touches you feels the chill of death and flinches, granting you advantage on your next Intimidation check. |
| 2 | Whispered Temptation. You hear the spirit’s voice urging you toward violence or betrayal. The DM may suggest a reckless action, taking it gives you inspiration, ignoring it gives you disadvantage on your next Wisdom save. |
| 3 | Phantom Wound. A scar or bruise appears on your body where the ghost died. It aches until you shed blood. |
| 4 | Eyes of the Deep. Your pupils flash with an eerie, drowned glow. For the next 10 minutes you can see dim light as bright light and complete darkness as dim light, but creatures also feel deeply unsettled around you. |
| 5 | Echo of Death. You swear you hear the sound of drowning, screaming, or steel on bone. Only you notice it. Disadvantage on Perception checks until you calm yourself. |
| 6 | Dragged Below. A phantom hand or chain grabs your ankle for a split second, making you stumble. Your speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of your next turn. |
| 7 | Specter’s Fury. The spirit lashes out in rage. Your weapon hums with ghostly energy, your next attack deals an extra 1d4 necrotic damage. |
| 8 | The Ghost Shows. For a heartbeat, everyone nearby sees a shadow of the specter at your back, tethered to you by an invisible chain. |
The spirit that haunts you lingers close, whether as a whisper, a flicker in the corner of your eye, or a presence in your dreams. NPCs sense something unsettling about you. You gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks against common folk, criminals, or superstitious sailors who feel unnerved in your presence. However, you also attract the wrong kind of attention: priests, exorcists, or spiritualists may seek you out, either to “save” you or destroy you.
Suggested Characteristics
The ghost gnaws at your sanity, twisting your moral compass. Some haunted mercenaries try to resist it, clinging to scraps of their old self. Others embrace the voice, becoming the monster they fear.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I constantly glance over my shoulder, as if I’m never truly alone. |
| 2 | I laugh at danger, but it’s a hollow laugh, meant to drown out the whispers. |
| 3 | I distrust priests, healers, and anyone who claims they can “cleanse” me. |
| 4 | I treat violence like business: quick, efficient, and without hesitation. |
| 5 | I’m weirdly calm in terrifying situations. I’ve seen worse already. |
| 6 | I can’t resist gambling or risky deals; the spirit feeds on chance. |
| 7 | I carry old superstitions from my days as a sailor, clinging to rituals to feel safe. |
| 8 | I drink or smoke too much to silence the ghost when it grows restless. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. I fight because I refuse to ever be chained again. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Vengeance. The one who wronged my spirit will pay, no matter the cost. (Neutral) |
| 3 | Greed. The spirit pushes me, but I still crave wealth and power. (Evil) |
| 4 | Justice. I will turn this curse into a weapon against the wicked. (Good) |
| 5 | Survival. I’ve learned that mercy gets you killed. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Chaos. If I’m damned already, then the world burns with me. (Chaotic) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The spirit and I share a purpose: finding the one who destroyed its life. |
| 2 | My old crew betrayed me, and I’ll never forgive them. |
| 3 | I owe my life to someone who once pulled me from the sea. |
| 4 | My weapon is more than steel, it’s the anchor keeping me sane. |
| 5 | I’m terrified the spirit will one day control me completely. |
| 6 | I fight to carve out a place in this sea of islands where I can finally belong. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I solve most problems with violence, whether or not it’s the smart move. |
| 2 | I can’t let go of grudges. Ever. |
| 3 | I’m reckless, the spirit whispers that death isn’t the worst outcome. |
| 4 | I push people away, afraid they’ll become targets of my curse. |
| 5 | I take too many risks when money’s involved. |
| 6 | I secretly fear the ghost is right: I’m meant to become a monster. |
Previous Versions
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10/4/2025 7:55:06 AM
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10/4/2025 7:59:14 AM
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Coming Soon
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